Pump therapy is simple. It's based on what the body does naturally delivering small amounts of insulin all the time - and then when you eat, you deliver a little extra to cover that food.
1. The Pump Uses only Fast-Acting Insulin
If you're on injections, long-acting insulin is usually what you'll give yourself first thing in the morning. Absorption of injected long-acting insulin is extremely unpredictable. In fact, it has a variability of up to 52%. This is a key reason your blood sugar can vary so much from one day to the next. That single factor probably accounts for why most people on injections can't control their blood sugars well.
Pumps use fast-acting insulin (just like the pancreas) which is much more predictable than long-acting insulin. Its variability is less than 3%. Quite a difference and it works.
2. The Pump Delivers Insulin in micro-drops that are continuous and accurate.
With injections, the insulin can just sit there... in a little pool. Your level of activity directly affects when that insulin goes into your bloodstream. If you're sitting at a desk, it will go into your system more slowly. But if you go for a walk or a run, it will go into your system much more quickly making blood sugars harder to control with injections.Pumps continuously send a little bit of insulin every few minutes (like a pancreas) so you don't have this inconsistency problem. And it's a different type of insulin - fast-acting predictable insulin!
3. You can eat when you want.
Because you can control your bolus insulin on a pump, YOU (not your injections) get to decide when you want to eat. You can eat when you are hungry - or not - delay or skip a meal. Have that extra helping if you like - on a pump you can handle it - no problem.
4. Live a more normal life.
No more injections, no rigid meal scheduling, no more unpredictable insulin... this all adds up to a more normalised lifestyle.
It is now widely accepted around much of the world that insulin pump therapy is easier than MDI regimes and it is proven to reduce the long term complications of diabetes. For these reasons Pump therapy is now the first choice treatment in many developed countries. However, the New Zealand Ministry of Health has very limited resources for Insulin Pumps and no national program for Pump Therapy or funding of it. It is up to the Diabetes sufferer to pay for it or rely on the generosity of charitable organisations to assist the funding of pumps and the ongoing consumables required to maintain them.
Group of Type1 patients enjoying an active life - with their pumps!
Justin volunteering time with young Type1 patients at a diabetes camp
Justin volunteering time with young Type1 patients at a diabetes camp